Randy Stonehill is “turning sixty,” no,
wait, next March he will be 65! This will be another major milestone for the
young man who wrote “Turning Thirty.”
Randy Stonehill came along at just the right time for me in my musical
appreciation. In 1976, I was 16 years old when I discovered Randy’s album, “Welcome
to Paradise.” There was a lot of radio music that I loved, but even as I was
greatly moved by bands like Chicago and Chilliwack, I found myself wondering
what it was that music points toward. It felt like all that beauty must have a
deeper meaning. The album, “Welcome to Paradise” (1976, Solid Rock Records)
introduced me to that deeper meaning of music. It helped me to put music in its
proper place. The album, originally produced on an LP record, had two
sides: “Paradise
Lost (sorrow and sadness...)” and “Paradise Regained (...turn into gladness).”
Side one told the story of one who has lost his or her way and is running from
God. Side two tells the story of finding that Jesus is the way, and describes the
first few steps back on the road toward a Paradise in which there is
companionship with God. Here was a creative rock musician who was not only
making great music, but was pointing toward deeper truths.
Later in life I would learn the reality in the
words of A.W. Tozer when he said, “Every true work of art praises God apart from the composer’s
intentions, because it could not have been written without the gifts which God
gave His creation.” However, at 16, I needed words that explicitly pointed to
how music can praise God and tell the story of salvation. I also needed music
that spoke to my soul. Certainly, some of the hymns and choruses of my childhood
could do this, but “Uncle Rand,” as I began to call him, provided one of the
best vehicles for understanding and praising Jesus.
The album is a masterpiece. Larry Norman
spends many hours producing this album and the attention to detail shows. I now
own the 2003 release of the album on compact disc and as I recently listened to
the 10 songs plus two bonus tracks, I was still impressed by the production,
engineering, arrangements, instrumentation, and string accompaniments. This
1976 album holds up against all others from that era and many from today as a
marvelous work of art.
The 2003 release has a particular appeal for
song-writers as the bonus tracks give an insight into how some of the songs
came to be. There is a raw demo called “I’ve Got Good News For You” that is not
quite ready for “primetime,” but shows the amazing vocal stylings of Uncle Rand
and Larry Norman. (Make sure you listen to it with headphones to help separate out the two voices in the two track stereo creativity.) Also on this release is the recording of a session in which
Randy and Larry write a song called “Heart Lock.” The genesis of genius is
evident in this rough track.
I have so many favourite songs on this
album that time will not permit an explanation of each. Allow me instead to
direct your attention to just a few of them. “Keep Me Running” has a great guitar riff that reels me in long before
I realize what the song is about. Next, the lyrics catch me asking questions
about my own life and the ease with which I can find myself running from the one
who gave me life.
Puppet Strings
is a retelling of the ancient story of The Fall. Humankind has strayed far from
the intention of a loving God and, although he is patient with his children, he
has allowed them to go their own way and “stumble into night.” The darkness of
that world is still very much evident today.
Perhaps the song that most sticks in my
head after all of these years is the song called “Christmas Song For All Year ‘Round.”
It is a simple retelling of the life of Jesus and how the incarnation
intersects with both Christmas and Easter. I recently found myself quoting many
of these lyrics in an advent sermon at Bow Valley Christian Church. They still
ring loud and clear.
Randy Stonehill has become so much a part
of my life and the life of my family that our youngest daughter was once under
the impression that he actually was her uncle. So, to this larger than life
man, whom I am happy to call Uncle Rand, I wish you a Merry Christmas, a Joyous
Easter, and many more Happy Birthdays. May you keep on “Turning Thirty” even as
the calendar years fly past.